DraftKings NFL Lineup Advice: Week 6 (Full Slate)

There are a couple of themes that pop up when looking at the Week 6 full slate of games. First of all, the primetime matchups have a lot of strong DFS options including opportunities for cheap players to step into bigger roles due to injury and one of the highest Vegas totals you will ever see with the Chiefs facing the Patriots on Sunday night.

The next theme that I’m looking at this week is redemption. There are some players that are in very favorable matchups that have burned us before in similar situations but I’m willing to give them another chance. So, it could be a great week to play the full slate to get extra exposure to the great plays in the primetime matchups and give those players that did us wrong another shot.

Thursday Option

Wendell Smallwood (PHI – RB): $4,100 @ NYGWith Jay Ajayi out for the season and Darren Sproles still unable to take the field, it leaves a lot of opportunity for Wendell Smallwood and Corey Clement ($4,400) to accumulate all of the touches in the Eagles backfield. They will face a Giants defense that ranks 25th in DVOA against the run this season according to FootballOutsiders. I’ll give the edge to Smallwood over Clement, as Smallwood is a little bit cheaper and has been on the field for the last couple of week, while Clement is just getting back from injury.

Early Cash Game Core

Tom Brady (NE – QB): $6,600 vs. KCYes, you must get exposure to the Chiefs/Patriots game on Sunday night if you are playing the full slate. Tom Brady is somehow only tied for the fourth highest salary at QB on DraftKings for the week and is coming off a game with 32.54 DK points against the Colts last Thursday. The Chiefs have allowed the fifth most fantasy points to opposing QBs this season. Brady and company will need to keep their foot on the gas to outlast Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs high-flying offense. It should be a fun one!

Latavius Murray (MIN – RB): $4,700 vs. ARIWelcome to the redemption portion of the write-up. Tell me if this sounds familiar, Latavius Murray is at home as a double-digit favorite against one of the league’s worst rush defenses with Dalvin Cook expected to be out. That was the exact scenario in Week 3 when the Vikings faced the Bills and “Chalk” Murray went on to two carries for one yard while chipping in a few receptions as the Vikings got trounced by the Bills. Well, this week Murray is at home as a double-digit favorite against the Cardinals who have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season and Cook is expected to miss the game. I didn’t use Murray on DraftKings against the Bills (luckily) back in Week 3 because his salary was higher and there were other better options. That doesn’t seem to be the case this week as he is cheaper and there aren’t as many good low priced RBs this week, so, I’m willing to give Murray a chance for redemption. Are you?

Julio Jones (ATL – WR): $7,900 vs. TBDid you hear the one about how Julio Jones couldn’t get into his house? Someone painted a goal line in front of his door. That’s an oldie but still makes me chuckle. Anyway, you all know the drill by now, Jones hasn’t scored all season despite piling up 34 receptions for 564 yards through five games. You have either completely given up on Jones or are one of the people who keeps saying this is the week. While I’m not going to say “this is the week” as that would be a fool errand at this point, however, I will say that I have not given up on him. Jones did score two of his three touchdowns last season against the Buccaneers in Atlanta and has scored against them in three straight home games. As luck would have it he will face the Buccaneers in Atlanta in Week 6. Meanwhile, the Buccaneers have allowed the third most fantasy points to opposing WRs. Let me make it clear, I am not predicting or guaranteeing a TD for Jones this week. In fact, I don’t think he will score but he only needs about nine receptions for 150 yards to reach 3x his salary without scoring which are numbers he has already reached twice this season, and if he does happen to find the end zone, so be it.

Rob Gronkowski (NE – TE): $6,100 vs. KCMuch like Brady, you won’t often see Rob Gronkowski not priced as the highest player at his position. Gronkowski is $1,000 cheaper than the opposing TE Travis Kelce as he hasn’t scored since Week 1. Look for that to change on Sunday night against the Chiefs defense that has allowed the third most fantasy points to opposing TEs this season. Despite the lack of star production from Gronkowski, he is still a big piece of the offense and will have a little bit of the coverage taken off of him with Julian Edelman back and Josh Gordon starting to get more involved in the offense. Sounds like it is time for a Gronk Smash!

Players to Watch

Ronald Jones II (TB – RB): $3,900 @ ATLThe Buccaneers are coming off a bye to face the Falcons in Atlanta this week. They will have Jameis Winston back under center and could also come out of the break with a new lead RB. Rookie Ronald Jones was a disaster in the preseason and began the year behind Peyton Barber on the depth chart, however, Jones got in some work in the Buccaneers blowout loss to the Bears prior to the bye with 10 carries to lead the team. Jones and the Bucs offense could be looking for a fresh start and get a sensational matchup against the Falcons run defense that has given up the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing RBs this season. Jones is probably too risky for cash games unless we hear it is his job, but could be worth a GPP flier.

Josh Reynolds (LAR – WR): $3,900 @ DENBoth Brandin Cooks and Cooper Kupp left the Rams Week 5 game with concussions and will need to make it through concussion protocol to see the field in Denver this week. Josh Reynolds would be the next man up for the Rams and did come in to catch two balls for 39 yards while adding a 10-yard run in the second half. Reynolds has played sparingly through his first season-plus but was a fourth-round pick out of Texas A&M and would be entering a high-flying Rams offense that knows how to maximize their player’s abilities. Reynolds could be this week’s Marquez Valdes-Scantling if both Cooks and Kupp are unable to suit up.